Hitching-post



(No Modem T. I. ASHTON.

l HHGHING POST. No. 556,798. Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

Iv r.

UNITED STATES PATENT THOMAS l. ASHTON, OF FORT DODGE, IOXVA.

HlTCHlNG-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,798, dated March 24, 1896.

Application led January 9, 1896. Serial No, 574,924. (No model To a/ZZ whmlt t r11/ity con/cern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS I. ASHTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fort Dodge, in the county of Webster and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usef ul llitehing-Post, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide a hitching-post of simple, cheap, strong and durable eonstruetioin that when not in use may be concealed in a suit-able casing beneath the level of the ground surface or sidewalk, and when it is desired to he used may be quickly and easily elevated and firmly locked in an elevated position where it cannot be accidentally dropped by twisting the post, and, further, to provide a post of this class with a hitching-strap that is automatically drawn into the post when released.

Hy invention consists in certain details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accom-` panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the complete device with the post in an elevated position and the strap drawn out. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section udth the post and strap in the position assumed when not in use. Fig. 3 shows a vertical sectional view in which the post and strap are drawn out. Fig. a shows a transverse section on line a i of Fig. Fig. 5 shows a transverse section online 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-letter A is used to indicate a casin g designed to be placed in the ground and having screw-threads at its top and bottom.

B indicates a cast-metal head screwed into said top and having a lid B2 hinged thereto. On the edge of said lid is a curved arm B:i that serves as a handle by which the lid may be raised, and is also so shaped that when the lid is in an open position its end will enter an opening B* in the part B for purposes hereinatter explained. Formed in diametrioallyopposite sides of the lower edge of this part B are two vertical slots O leading upwardly to au annular groove D indicates the post proper, of approximately thc saine length'as the casing A and having near its lower end the two lugs D2 and in its top a slot D3 covered by a metal loop D4.

D5 indicates an opening in the lower end oi"- the post designed to be entered by the arm BS when said lugs are in the annular groove and distant from the vertical slots, hence preventing the postfrom bein g rotated and thus unlocked inadvertently.

F indicates a hitching-strap passed through the slot D3 and having a weight F2 attached to its lower end to move within the post, a snap-hook FS on its outer end and a swiveljoint F4 near its other end. The said loop Dj serves to prevent the snap-hook F3 from heing drawn into the opening and to prevent the strap 'from being twisted.

In practical use it is obvious that ordinarily the hitching device will be inconspicuous and yet thoroughly protected from snow, rain, ice, dsc. W'hen it is desirable to use the post the lid is elevated by pressure upon the curved arm and the post drawn up and turned part of a revolution until the end of the curved arm drops into the opening in the post by gravity of the lid and thus prevents a further rotation ot" the post. XVhen, however, it is desirable to lower the post the arm is easily withdrawn by raising the lid. The hitchin gstrap may then be drawn up and used in the ordinary manner. Then released it will automatically be drawn into the post, and a slight turn of the post is all that is necessary to-cause it to drop into the sunken pipe.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaiin as new therein, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent of the United States therefor,

A hitching-post, comprising a pipe designed to be placed vertically in the ground, and having an opening near the top, an annularlygrooved collar having slots leading downwardly from the groove on the inner toppertion of the pipe, a post slidingly mounted in the pipe and having an opening near its lower end, designed to align with the aforesaid opening in the pipe when the post is elevated and turned parl'. of a revolution, pins or lugs on the lower end of the post to enter said slots and annular groove, a weight slidingly mounted in the post, a hitching-strap at- ICO tached to the Weight and extended through lowered inadvertently, substantially as .and the top of the post, and a hinged lid on the for the purposes stated. pipe having an integral arm designed to automatieally enter said openings in the pipe THOMAS l. ASHTON. 5 and post when tbe post s raised and turned XVitnesses:

and be held therein by the Weight of the lid J AMES B. ASHTON,

to prevent the post from being turned and VALTER V. STEPHENSON. 

